1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an oscillating device for continuous casting molds for casting molten metal particularly, molten steel material and including a plurality of springs or spring assemblies extending between a stationary mold frame and connection or fixing points for supporting a continuous casting mold and set in control oscillations such as, e.g., resonance oscillations by drive pairs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Oscillating devices, which are secured to stationary frames with steel plate springs, are known.
The plate springs are designed with a lasting fatigue strength. As a rule, such plate spring suspensions operate for an extended operational time without maintenance. The continuous casting molds are guided in stationary frame with two plate springs per side. The continuous casting molds are supported by the spring force of the plate springs. This construction forms a backlash-free suspension and does not require any maintenance-intensive supports. The guidance of a continuous casting mold along a predetermined path and to a predetermined position is effected without any difficulty. The plate springs, however, greatly influence the oscillation modes because the spring constants should be very large in order to support the weight of the continuous casting mold. In the simplest case, a sinusoidal oscillation mode with the frequency of the natural resonance of a spring-mass system is carried out. Advantageously, a definite guidance of a continuous casting mold is insured with a very stiff plate spring. Oscillation frequency variations or an extended use can lead to reaction forces that cannot be controlled under existing circumstances and which overload the system. In addition, such steel plate spring systems are subjected to an increased corrosion which contributes substantially to failure of the system. Up to the present, springs made of steel and with different corrosion protection layers were used. However, coating is sensitive to mechanical influences when used as a base material. The use of alloyed steels did not eliminate these drawbacks. A satisfactory solution for eliminating these drawbacks could not be found up to the present, let alone effective measures for preventing failure.
The object of the invention is to provide, while eliminating the described drawbacks, a long-lasting, stable, plate spring oscillating device better suitable for casting of molten steel at corresponding oscillation modes.